Measuring apparatus



1934- T. P. WILLIAMS El AL, 1,982,184

MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1952 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,982,184 MEASURING APPARATUS Todd P. Williams and James A. Baxter, Mont Belvieu, Tex., assignors to Howard'Si'nith Company, Houston, Tex., acorporation Application August 12, 1932, Serial No. 628,560

4 Claims. 01. 33-1134) This invention relates to ratus.

An object of the invention is to provide measuring apparatus of the character described specially designed for use in measuring the length of a string of pipe as the same is lowered into or withdrawn from a well here.

In carrying on well drilling operations, it is, at times, necessary to know the length of the string of pipe which is lowered into the well and at the present time it is customary to measure each section of the pipe as the same is connected into the string and lowered and to then total up the lengths of the sections in order to ascertain the total length of the string, but by this method errors often occur due to inaccuracy in measuring the sections as well as inaccuracy in addition. The apparatus herein disclosed has been provided for automatically measuring the pipe ac- 'curately to the end that the exact length of the string moved through the measuring apparatus may be at any time readily ascertained.

Another object of the invention is to provide a measuring apparatus of the character. described that may be readily. rendered inactive during the actual drilling operations or at times when it not bede'sired to measure the pipe in the well.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relationto certain novel features of construction, operation and-arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying' drawing, wherein:

4 Figurel shows a side elevation of the apparatus shown mounted on the casing and in pro-per relation with the derrick and with the pipe to be measured.

Figure 2 shows an elevational view of the apparatus, partly in section, taken at right angles a measuring appato the view shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 3 shows a plan View partly in section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates a clamp which is secured to the upper end of the well casing 2 beneath the derrick floor and extending out from the opposite sides of the clamp are the arms 3, 4. There are the outwardly curved levers 5, 5 whose lower ends mounting for said levers may be employed.

hearings in which the shafts 9, 10 rotate. upper ends of the toggle levers of each pair may be bifurcated to embrace said arms to which As; more clearly shown in Figure 2, the levers '5 are widened upwardly and their upper ends are also bifurcated and between these upper bifurcated ends are the rollers 7, 8 which may be fixed on the shafts 9, 10 which are rotatable in suitable bearings in the bifurcated upper ends of the levers 5, 5. The rollers '7, 8 are 7 preferably knurled or toothed so that they will grip the pipe 11 between them and the length of which is to be measured.

There are the pairs of toggle levers 12, 12, one pair being on each side of the pipe 11. The toggle levers of each pair are-pivoted together at their lowerends and at their upper ends have The may be connected by strong pull springs, as 13.

Fixed on one end of the shaft 10 there is a spur gear 14 which is in mesh with" and drives a smaller spur gear 15 which is mounted in a suitable gear housing 16 carried by the upper end of the corresponding lever 5. 'The gear 15 is fixed on the adjacent end of a flexible shaft 17 and this shaft" is operatively connected with and drives a conventional counter 18 which is mounted at aconvenient place in the derrick 19.

The arm 4 is extended and its outer end is bifurcatedias more clearly shown in Figure 2, and I the lower endof a standard 20 is pivoted on said outer end of 'saidarm 4. Pivoted to the upper end ofsaid standard 20 there-is-a yoke having the side arms 21 whose free ends are pivoted to *thelower ends of the respective pairs of toggle levers 12 and this yoke has theoutwardly extending arms 22, to the free ends of which the lower end of the push bar 23 is pivoted. This push bar works up through a bearing in the derrick floor and its upper end has a pedal 24 thereon and beneath said pedal said push bar 23 has a laterally extending stud 25. Secured on the derrick floor adjacent the push bar 23 there is the dog 26 having a sloping upper face 27. There is a push spring 28 which operates against the bar 23 and normally holds it in cooperating relation with the dog 26.

If it be desired to render the apparatus inactive the operator may force the bar 23 downwardly until the stud 25 strikes and passes the sloping face 27 of the dog 26 and thereupon the spring 28 will cause said stud to engage underneath said dog 26. downwardly the arms 21 will be moved upwardly causing a corresponding movement of the lower ends of the toggle levers l2 and the upper ends of these toggle members will be moved outwardly When the bar 23 is forced -inglyagainst-saidpipe rotated i the pipe {iS moved longitudinally, a

- ceive the pipe =tobe the pipe is r-moved -ver tically, connected-withand adapted carrying the rollers '7, 8 out of contact with the pipe 11, and said rollers will be locked in said inactive position by the engagement of the stud under the dog 26. The measuring apparatus when in said inactive position will not interfere with ordinary drilling operations. If it now be desired to measure-the pipe to'be withdrawn from the bore or measure pipe to be let into the bore the stud 25 may be released from the dog-26-and thereupon the springs 13 will pull the rollersfl, the pipe is aaznweli bore, said device comprising a clamp 8 into contact with said pipe and as moved between said rollers the gearsilfimfii'uwill be correspondingly turned to operate the counter 18 and the length of thef-pipejthussmoved be tween said rollers will be accurately registered by the counter 18.

What is now consideredkaipreferred1formttof the invention has been disclosed but it is, obvious that mechanical changes maybe 'madein the construction 50121118 apparatus without I departing from the principle of the, jinvention.

The disclosure has be'enl by Way of illustration merely while -the broad, principle of the. invention will be defined by the appended claims.

'What we claim :isi r 1 1. A device o ascertai ing the amount of 15ngitudinal-movementofl a pipeinya casing ina well bore; f compr'ising a;;4supporting framework clamped to the casing and. having a pivotally ;moun ted,-- upstanding roller support, a rollerl'on said support, means -fo lholding said roller yieldwhereby the roller, will be register, means connected with-a.nd adapted to be driven by said roller and also connected with and adapted; to drive .said sregister and means for --moving, andlocking s'aid roller in inactive position-out of contact with said;pipe.' 7 1 v -2. A, device Ion-ascertaining the amount of longitudinal movement-,ota pipe in a casing in a 'well bore; said device comprising a clamp adapted to be secured around; said casing, oppositely ar- -=ranged levers, w-hose lower-ends are -pivoted;to

saidclamp said; levers upstanding from the clamp and being arranged: approximately'parallel, confronting-rollers rotatably mounted on the upper ends of the respective levers and arranged .to; re-

' easuredbetween them, means for. holding-said; rollers yieldingly, against said 1 pipe whereby the rollersflwill be; rotated as a; register," means V to be'driven rby one of said rollersandalsoconnected-withand adapted to. drive said register, pairs of toggle levers,

gimsitl .a n' dple gpivoted to isaid clamp,

: 0i the vcorrespo di wrollerswp v al y .said inactive position;

longitudinal movement na iwellgbore, comprising .a, supporting vfrarnework =means-atomsecuring said irameworketoc:thertop 115 around said casing, op-

whose lower ends are said levers upstanding being arranged approxia apted b s cu d p from the clamp and smatelyparallel,-.confronting rollers rotatably mounted on the upper ends of the respective levers and arranged to receive the pipe to be meas sdahetwe s hem wan abe-hol ng s rollers yieldingly against said pipe whereby the lle s w l s-b rotatcdes the r pe-i ove -J 'y; a; re istemmean vwnneot with :im ad p s be d iven by o o id roll s en s lso c e ed with an @ad p de otdr v ,said r st r, pa rs of toss elle ersrt e levers oiis ch p ir being p t -tos hera one end-and wh o e n sa-areu n edit hez-zresp otiverend mountedei;

1 arms which; are (pivotally-l attachedflto-l the; con- -;nec d .e d h r spe qgslale- ,versh mea s o a tu tin s id armsi q-op a t t e: l vers aw e ebyvsa dy rollers maxt-b moved to inactive ,positionuout of contacti- Withii the pipe -andwmeans for locking the rollers-in A a device riot ascertaining saw? '0: fz,:a,.-pipe:.-in.'aisc-asinssin of the casing; aipivqtally mountedz-upstandin rsupportjon saidflramework, ha rotatableemember on =saidsupport;-.means for holdingnsaidarotatable memberiyieldingly against thepipe wherebytsai member will be: rotatedaasthepipeisimovedilon- 12C- gitudinallma register; means-connectedlwithx and -'adapted to berdr-iveniby said rotatable member =and also connmted. .rwith and' a'dapted .to:.;drive the register and :m'eans or.:moving;- andlrlockingnfi said-rotatable member in inactive position out of contact with the pipe. i is PTQD'D P. WILLIAMS.

JAMES A. BAXTER. I 

